Its creation began in 1963 in the factories of Landersheim in France, intended to be sold the following year under the eponymous brand of its designer. The famous Adidas shoe presented a number of new innovations: the leather aerated by three rows of holes, characteristic of the brand’s DNA, is sewn into the sole for more solidity. Finally, its system of Achille’s tendon protection once more marks the value of its visual identity with its flagship color: green.
And yet, a turning point in Adidas’ corporate history would see the story of the Adidas Robert Haillet turned on its head. In 1973, the sportswear brand became the official sponsor of tennis player Stanley Smith. A vivid incarnation of the quintessential high-level tennis pro, he took home the male Tennis Masters in 1970, the US Open in 1971, and continued his ascension towards success at the tournaments in Paris and Wimbledon in 1972. And what better shoe to represent the glory of worldwide tennis than the Adidas Robert Haillard, produced specifically for the sport? Associated with the legend of tennis, it was renamed to bear its new name that would from then on become legendary as well: the Stan Smith, in 1978. From then on, the first match was won, and sneakers started venturing off of the tennis courts to taste the asphalt of city sidewalks. Paired with blue jeans, they are the pure incarnation of youth street style of the 80s and 90s. The reggae and hip hop scenes also took to them, followed by the mixed rap universe, like the band Run-D.M.C. in their track “My Adidas”. An emblem of slightly controversial movements, the skinheads would be the next to adopt it, writing a more somber page in its story in the meantime. With its rich and diverse past behind it, the shoe was inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records in 1990 for having sold 22 million pairs.
With such proven success, Adidas decided to release the sneaker in different colors and add a few scratches to it. In 2003, still as desirable as ever, it innovated with a new hightop version to finally be rereleased in 2007 under the name Stan Smith II. But the success story would come to an abrupt end when production was halted altogether in 2011, with the French market the only one still seeing regular sales. To the despair of its enthusiasts, the Stan Smith disappeared from the brand’s stores and in doing so became an actively sought collector’s item. After becoming practically impossible to find despite an enormous demand from their clients, Adidas France finally announced the return of the Stan Smith last May, slated for 2014. The most fervent of its admirers were able to appreciate the first edition in a limited release during last Spring/Summer 2014’s Fashion Weeks. The first pairs became available on September 4th in New York and followed the runway calendar, with its aficionados patiently waiting to cross paths with their beloved pair of shoes at Colette in Paris, London’s Dover Street Market, Andreas Murkudis in Berlin, and, following the latest trends, finishing at Dover Street Market Ginza for Japanese Fashion Week. With a successful initial run, now back on the current couture and design scene, the Stan Smith will be rereleased in greater numbers starting on January 15, 2014. A new, more current and modern page in its story is bound to be written, as the shoe once more embarks on its long road of success.
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